Baking Therapy

After a friend who dropped-by left, I jumped into the kitchen to do get some baking therapy as the skies opened up, and it rained elephants and dinosaurs. On my menu are blueberry muffins and molten chocolate cakes.
I bought two punnets of fresh Australian blueberries and they are always lovely in blueberry muffins. See how they burst open and ooze blueberry juices into the muffin. I gave some away to a friend.
I then moved on to make molten chocolate cake. I turned my Valrhona chocolate stock into dreamy yummy molten cakes. I made myself a single serving with vanilla ice cream. Rest of the batter are in the fridge.See how the chocolate oozes out as I cut into the warm cake.Molten Chocolate Cakes Recipe
4 oz unsalted butter

6 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Method

Preheat the oven to 230C.

Butter and lightly flour four 6-oz. ramekins. Tap out the excess flour and set the ramekins on a baking sheet.
In a double boiler over simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed until thickened and pale.
Whisk the chocolate until smooth. Quickly fold it into the egg mixture along with the flour.

Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and bake for 12 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft. Let the cakes cool for about one minute and then cover each with a dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds, then unmold. Serve immediately.

Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
4 ounces butter
1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Method

Sift dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk eggs, buttermilk and butter that has been melted and browned slightly. Make a well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients, mixing quickly. Fold in the berries. Spoon batter into greased muffin cups and bake until golden brown. Bake at 200C for 20 -30 minutes. Recipe makes 24 blueberry muffins.